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Undergraduate Research Experience on Campus (URECA)

The Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) programme is now in its sixth year after a successful launch in 2004.

The programme enables top undergraduates to immerse themselves in research in their second and third years while earning benefits such as a stipend and academic credits. These undergraduates are given the coveted title “NTU President Research Scholars” (PRS) and will receive a certificate of participation.

URECA develops the imagination of aspiring researchers by guiding them through a chosen research project over a period of ten months (September to June) under the guidance of professors.

Scholars enjoy the flexibility of working on any research project in any discipline at NTU, external research institutes or national laboratories. In the last academic year, some 300 President Research Scholars had a choice of over 1,500 research projects in the areas of engineering, biological sciences, business management and accountancy, communication studies, the humanities and the arts. By undertaking these projects, they:

• gain a good appreciation of research, including the need for rigour and independence,
• experience the open-endedness of research, as well as the formulation and approach to research problems
• appreciate what makes researchers as they work closely with their professors.

The scholars spend about 10 hours a week for 10 months on their research though some have opted to immerse themselves full-time during breaks and vacations. This substantial research immersion gives them a deeper understanding of their research problem and facilitates more significant research findings.

As a testimony to its effectiveness, URECA has since evolved to encompass collaboration with external research agencies. DSO-URECA was launched in collaboration with the Defence Science Organisation (DSO) and SIMTech-URECA in collaboration with Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech-A*Star). Professors and senior research staff at these organizations provide the ideas for the research projects.

President Research Scholars may also pursue research-based final-year projects under FYP-URECA scheme.

Some of the research activities undertaken were so outstanding; they clinched prizes when presented at premier international conferences. The scholars’ participation at these conferences was sponsored.

Several outstanding research activities were also featured in the local media and international journals.

NTU hopes that through such exposure to research, President Research Scholars will consider pursuing a higher degree by research and embark on a career in research.